Way to Go Sis!

Mad props to my sister, Lurinda, who is a very accomplished amateur photographer.  I have been bugging her for over a year to start a blog to show some of the shots she takes.  She simply loves to travel and goes on several photo trips a year.  Right now she's in Maine on a trip with her good friend and fellow photographer Lori.

She has been messaging me photos for the last two days and I finally told her to 'get a blog!'.  And she did it!  Wow.

Please visit her blog WhereAmINow12.blogspot.com to keep track of her and enjoy her photography!  I just added it to the blogs we watch over there on the left side of our blog.

Way to go Sis. 

PS... I'm going to make some recommendations about formatting that will help you ;) 

Happy Birthday Lurinda

Happy Birthday Sis (Thursday)!  I hope you have a blessed and wonderful day with family and friends.

I wish you could be out here hanging with us - but know that your friends and family will take good care of you back there.

I love my sister.. and her amazing talents;  one of which is photography.  Check these pictures out - ones that you can only get in the cold Michigan winters.  Enjoy.

Yosemite

Yesterday we had a full day at Yosemite National Park! Yosemite is about three hours east of our house so we made a long day of it. And a beautiful day it was. The skies were clear and the temperature was perfect for hanging out and taking in the views.

Here's Julie and Lurinda striking poses.















































El Capitan is one big chunk of Granite (the technical term is 'monolith'.. but chunk works too).















We went into Yosemite Village for lunch and ice-cream. While we were there we checked out the Ahwahnee Hotel.















Bummer... very little water this late in the season. Lurinda has promised me she will come back in Spring sometime and we'll do a waterfall session!



















Mirror Lake is about a mile hike from the main drag. It is a series of 'ponds' more or less in Summer.. expanding to more of a lake in early and late Spring.





























Bridalveil Falls. Yes, there is supposed to be water.. not just mist ;D



















The beautiful meadows of the Sierra Nevadas.








































Jumping over Half Dome! (Now that I've figure out how to jump over mountains in a single bound..I need to work on my posing and facial expressions!)



















Here are the ladies from Glacier Pt - across the valley from Half Dome.















As the sun set over the upper meadows.. we bid the park adieu and headed home.

2009 Wiener Nationals

Last Sunday our church, the Highway Community, hosted its 6th Annual Wiener Nationals. This year we had 54 entrants.

Meet Abby - the Smith's elder dachshund and a past Wiener National Champion. She did well this year... but finished out of the money. That's Dean, the proud owner encouraging her at the finish.

This is the newest addition in the Smith household. Meet Hazel. She's a cutie. However, as Matt says 'she was pretty slow' in her first official year of competition.

The starting gate is where much of the action takes place!

The competition committee did not allow this racer to compete.

Here's a picture of the eventual winner in action.

My sister is in California and was anxious to see this prestigious event. Thanks Lurinda for sharing some of your pictures for this blog entry! It's fun to take pictures with you.

And this in one of the many competitors that hailed from outside our church. This event certainly is a memorable outreach to our immediate community.

Finally, here's Dean crowning the 2009 Champion!

Geezer Games II

It’s an unexpected pleasure to report that I was able to continue my interview with Senior Games spectator Lurinda shortly after our previous discussion.

If you haven't yet read part 1 of our interview please start with: Geezer Games part 1.

Already read it? Then please enjoy part two of our discussion.

L: ‘Hey there, hang on a second’, Lurinda shouts as I am departing from our previous discussion.

THB: Welcome back. I’m pleased to continue our discussion; but aren’t you needed on the field?

L: It’s complicated to explain, but in simple terms the various medications I’m taking combined with the strong California sun caused someone I lovingly refer to as ‘little Lurinda’ to call for me. (Editor note: at this point the interviewee is referring to the voices she hears on a recurring basis inside her head) As it turns out, I wasn’t really needed. It happens.

THB: Wow! Can you tell me, does this happen to many of the players?

L: Hmmm. I’d say it affects more than have had knee surgery and far less than are incontinent; just to book-end it for you in raw numbers.

THB: Now, moving on. Can you tell me if there are any special accommodations that are made in the rules to address the older nature of the players?

L: Why, yes there are. For instance, to avoid contact at the plate, runners simply need to pass a line drawn near the plate before the catcher successfully catches the ball while standing on home plate.

THB: That makes perfect sense. I’m sure it greatly reduces injury. Giving that these games are being played at the center of technology development here in Silicon Valley, could you tell our readers what role technology innovation plays in the game?

L: Technology changes play an important part in this game. At times, these changes are great for the game. A good example is the aluminum bat; a wonderful addition to the game. However, sometimes the rules can’t keep up with technology.

THB: Please explain.

L: Well, as you know, the Senior Nationals' rule book allows for players to wear Depends under their uniforms. It’s an essential part of the senior game. However, as technology has improved, allowing the Depends to become more absorbent, the rules have lagged. Rule 10.2.3.7b allowing only one change of uniform (a euphemism for changing Depends) per game is woefully outdated. It’s slowing down the entire game; both offensively and defensely. That’s why when you hear our coaches yelling they will be heard saying “Run’ or 'get it'; not ‘GO!’. We don’t want to inadventantly cause additional problems. This whole issue is definitely something that needs to be re-visited before the 2011 games in Houston.

THB: I see. Well, it truly has been interesting having this chance to talk. I will you and your team all the best in the competition.

L: It’s been a pleasure. Now, who are you again?

Geezer Games

The Bay Area is playing host from August 1st thru the 15th to the 2009 Summer National Senior Games. Open to athletes from across the nation who have crossed the 50 year old barrier, the games comprise a wide range of medal and demonstration sports.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to attend a practice with Lurinda S., a member of a 50yr old+ women’s slow pitch softball team from the Midwest that is participating this week at the Twin Creeks softball venue. During a break in the action we sat down to chat. Dressed casually in softball shorts and a mesh top and donning wrap-around shades, Lurinda exuded the quiet confidence that characterizes athletes at this level.

Team Henderson Blog [THB]: Lurinda, welcome to the Bay Area. We’re pleased you’re here to compete. I hope you and your teammates are getting acclimated and enjoying your visit.

Lurinda [L]: Thank you. So far we’re having a blast. It’s been awesome to have so much time to just sit back and luxuriate while we wait for the cars in front of us to start moving again. It’s great to experience some ‘me time’. You miss that in parts of the country where you have to continuously move when you're in a car.

THB: Excellent. So, tell me, what do you and your teammates enjoy most about the National Senior Games?

L: Thanks for throwing me a fat one to hit. Haha. Get it?

THB: Umm. Sure. That’s a softball joke. Got it.

L: Right. Well, without a question the best part about the National Senior Games is that we don’t allow the Chinese to compete. That’s not a racist comment about the Chinese people. We love the Chinese. It’s just been our life experience that by the time you hit 50 and over you are dealing with certain physical realities.

THB: Such as?

L: Well, for instance, take puberty. We’re all well past puberty. In fact, as opposed to just firing up some of the parts, we find that our parts of starting to go off-kilter. So, while we’re all applying skin cream to reduce the effects of wrinkles and avoid skin cancer, the Chinese women are applying Clearasil. It’s a mystery how they stay so young. And it’s just downright annoying when they perform multiple round-over back flips as they approach home base to score. The National Games provide a venue better suited to our unique physical challenges.

THB: And what would you say are some of those unique physical challenges? Can you give us an example?

L: Sure. 50 is an interesting age. It’s a time where the accumulated strain of playing a physical game like softball has taken a toll on the body and some of the players required knee braces, elbow pads and other supports to play. At the same time, however, the mind isn’t always as sharp as it once was. In particular you find yourself dealing with memory issues. So, it’s quite common for players to not be able to remember if they’ve WD40’d their knee brace. That’s a common one.

THB: Fascinating. Any other issues our reader’s could relate to?

L: Oh sure. Here’s a good one. At the end of each game it’s our custom to line up and walk by the opposing team to congratulate them. Invariably, our center fielder will be shaking hands with one of the opposing team members and shout out ‘Julie!, thanks for coming to watch us play!’.

THB: That’s sweet!

L: It would be, except for the fact that Julie is our center fielder’s daughter and she lives in Florida with her husband and three children. Alzheimer's. Oops. I hear someone yelling for me to get back on the field. Gotta Go.

THB: Oh! Well, thank you for taking your time to speak with us today. Best wishes for a great tournament. We’re so glad you could be with us!

Michigan Miscellany

Thank you so much to everyone in Michigan that made our recent vacation so fun. It was an absolute fabulous week weather wise - sunny and in the 90's each day. And it was a great week of spending time with family and friends. We enjoyed every minute of it.

Bill and Linda arranged for us to meet Ernie and Hazel Schutter while we were in town. They are Carissa's fraternal grandparents. We enjoyed visiting with them at breakfast before Ernie was off to play in a softball tournament. Pretty impressive to still be playing and competing and having fun in life. An inspiration. We tried to pump them for some 'dirt' on Dan (Carissa's dad) but apparently Dan was the 'good kid'. Bor-ing.

In any event - we appreciated the opportunity to get to meet them and put faces with the names.

Hey - speaking of random Michigan things.. we had to take one of Bill's cars in for a small repair while we were there and I got my first look at the new (2010) Camaro. Sexy car.













We had the opportunity to spend a day with my sister Lurinda at the lake. Lurinda has an adorable dog - ( a 'daisy' dog as she refers to it ) named Bear. Indy (Hannah's new dog) got a chance to meet Bear and they had a rousing bit of play in their front yard. Indy really loved chasing Bear's fluffy tail. It was hilarious to watch Indy chasing Bear around trying to jump on him and nibble on his fluffy parts. They definitely bonded. We can't wait until they have a chance to hook up again.


























































While we were at my sister's we took their pontoon boat out for a spin around Pine Lake. We enjoyed kicking back and having captain Jon take us all for a tour.















































During out travels we did find this one house that is flying the 'house divided' half MSU - half UM flag out front. We don't have one (Christmas idea??).. but I can relate ;)















Finally, we introduced team Shrauger to a new card game we learned from Joanne; Golf. We all had fun playing. Jon was particulary good at it right off the bat! However - it was Cassie who scored an amazing 10 points to take the final victory.



















We love you all and are so happy that you opened your homes and hearts to us while we were there. We are now counting the days until we return!

Michigan!!

Team Henderson successfully landed in Michigan Saturday afternoon. We don't have any exciting stories from the flights; they we very uneventful. Well, Hannah has been telling one story of the very cranky airline attendant that seemed to be as disappointed to be working at 6:00 am as we were to be traveling at that time.

We were greeted at the airport by a veritable contingent! We were expecting Bill and Linda. However, when we turned the corner and were heading into the terminal we saw a big sign welcoming the Henderson Party of 3. I couldn't see exactly who was holding the sign - and had a moment where I wondered how many Henderson parties of 3 could be on one flight. Then I finally figured out it was my crazy sister, Lurinda and her cohorts in crime!

Thanks to Vicki and Cassie (along with Lurinda) for making our arrival to Michigan special! We can't wait to get down your way to spend more time together.





























Bill and Linda did pick us up and they had a special treat waiting for Julie in the car. Yes, that is a glorious 3 liter bottle of the nectar of the gods - Mtn Diew!



















And.. it didn't take long to get opened once we got back to their place. Another special treat for Julie is the Epcot Center glass. Julie got it while on vacation one year and it has been around ever since. Ahhhhhh... we are in Michigan again!















A bit later in the afternoon the Buckners greeted us at the lake. My fabulous nephew Trent had a special greeting planned. Check Trent out in the Maize and Blue. What a stud. It was so fun to greet him as he came running down the hill and into my arms to show me his cool jersey.



















Then - he got this sly look in his eye as he pulled up the jersey to reveal the MSU t-shirt he had on below it. I am told it was totally his idea. What a cute kid! (at least Julie liked it!)




















There was one sad story to tell from our flight in. We were accompanied on our short trip from Chicago into Grand Rapids in the cabin by a Lieutenant who was accompanying a casket with one of our fallen soldiers. I was very proud to add my applause when he was announced. I hope we never forget the sacrifices that our young men make to keep us free.